Multicultural Resources

 

 

Discrimination and Diversity

 

We agree with the position of the YWCA that low-income women and women of color are disproportionately affected when limitations are placed on their reproductive freedom, and that issues of reproductive rights are issues of racism and classism as well as sexism.

We value women's descriptions of their own experiences and agree with the National Women’s Health Network that health policy, activism, and information should reflect the diversity of women's experiences.

We are concerned that the delivery of health care is affected by the culture and language of the practitioner and client. We see the effects of this in the under-representation in research and prevention of AIDS in African American and Latina women, groups who are disproportionately affected by the disease. See the National Minority AIDS Council (NMAC) for more information.

 

Facts for Advocates

 

We recognize that responsible and responsive advocacy requires familiarity with more than one perspective on reproductive rights.

African American Women Evolving has created a policy and action brief on the discriminatory effects of reproductive rights restrictions. Black Women's Health provides reproductive and other health information and resources to empower Black women across the life span, including fact sheets on contraception, prenatal care, and women-controlled HIV/STI prevention.

The National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health publishes position statements and fact sheets about issues in general reproductive rights for Latinas and specific problems encountered by Latina immigrants.

The National Asian Women's Health Organization provides information on Asian American women's reproductive and sexual health issues, including assessments within several sub-groups of the Asian American population.

The National Indian Women's Health Resource Center monitors current issues in the health of Native American women. The Native Women's Reproductive Rights Coalition has created a platform speaking to the reproductive rights of Native American women and offers publications on specific reproductive issues relevant to Native American women.

Activists of the Public Education Project work to connect young women to reproductive rights activism and education. Together with the Young Women's Leadership Council they have concluded a research project entitled She Speaks: African American and Latino Young Women on Reproductive Health and Rights.